Dragon's Toungue
by The Queen of Spar Oom
Summary: Katora is a poor peseant living outside the tiny villages of Norlan. Ever since her father went off to fight the cursed dragon of the Waland Mountains, Katora has had to steal food to survive. However, that all changes when a mysterious shape shifter name


By Ali Dacus

Chapter 1: A Startle in the Night

"GET BACK HERE THEIF!" Kat ran as fast as her short

legs would carry her. Bread clenched tight in her arms, she

rushed to her horse, Gem. "Hurry Gem!" Kat cried as the

merchant sprinted up to her. At that moment, the dirty steed

bolted off. "GET BACK HERE YOU AWFUL LITTLE

PEASANT!" Hollered the fat merchant after her. Kat laughed.

"Gem, as long as I have my legs and you, we will always

have bread on our table!"

Just as the sun lowered behind the northern hills, the girl and

horse ambled up to a muddy stable next to a dingy hut. She

put her beloved mare into the stable and lit three candles.

"Here we are" Kat sighed as she grabbed a bucket of water

from the well. Before the horse knew what was going on, Kat

threw the bucket all over the horse. Gem jumped and almost

knocked over a candle at the water's cold. The water began

to run down her side, revealing the purest white one could

ever imagine. "Gem, how do you get your coat so white?" for

second, Kat could have sworn the horse gave her a look of

pride and said, "That's for me to know, and you to find out!"

"I guess I will never know!" chuckled the teen and she went

inside her hut after pecking a kiss on her best friend's

muzzle.

Kat enjoyed the warm stolen bread. It always felt well

earned, as she spent all day riding to the Tasla market and

tricking the fat old baker into looking the other way just long

enough for her to snatch the biggest loaf she could find.

Kat put herself to bed after her well-earned dinner. She

hated going to bed. When she went to bed, she always

thought of when her papa was there. Four years ago, it had

been her papa and her together since her mama died when

Kat was only five years old. They stuck together. But then,

the king of Norlan, their home country in the land of Harsan,

had called her papa to go and join the army of men who

were to defeat the dragon of the Waland Mountains. The

terrible beast annually attacked the villages of Norlan, killing

many in its blazing path. Its lair was deep in the Waland

Mountains, to the north. Everyday, Kat would look out her

window to those mountains with tears in her eyes, thinking

about her papa who was somewhere in those peaks. The

night before he left, her papa had come in to say good-bye,

for he would be leaving at dawn the next morning. He had

said to her, "Katora, I do not know when I will return, but I

need you to promise me something." "I'll do anything papa."

Tears ran down Kat's 10-year-old face. "You have a special

gift, Katora. This necklace was your mother's. You will need

it now more then ever." He handed her a cloth necklace with

a flat diamond with a strange carving in it. " I need you to

promise me that you will use this necklace and your gift

well." Kat didn't know what gift her papa was talking about,

but she agreed nonetheless. She had seen her mother wear

that necklace and it gave her strength. "Also, take good care

of Gem for me, for I'm leaving her in your care. I love you

Katora." With that, he kissed her forehead and left the room

as Kat cried herself to sleep. Every night since then, Kat

remembered that night and her promise to her father.

However, she still didn't know what that special gift was that

her father was talking about. But she remembered her

promise as she lay in bed that night.

It was around two o' clock am, when Kat heard a

creature sneak toward the barn. Kat had wonderful hearing,

sight, and smell. "Wolves!" she cried and immediately rushed

out of bed and grabbed her dagger. With a lighted torch, the

girl ran as fast as she could to the barn. Something furry hit

her leg and she tumbled to the ground, her torch had gone

out. She stumbled around in the dark until the three candles

in the barn were lit. "Wolves can't light candles!" Kat thought.

Carefully, she snuck into the stable just in time to see an

enormous wolf transform into cloaked man who grabbed

Gem's reins.

Chapter 2: A Secret Revealed

Startled by the strange being, Kat stammered,

"Who…or what are you!" The man jumped and spun

around. "I am Oryan" the strange man replied. He had a

wrinkled, weary face, but soft blue eyes. "Are you Katora of

Norlan?"

"Yes I am. And just what were you planning to do with

my horse?"

"My apologies, Miss. I do believe I owe you an explanation."

"I think you do." Kat guarded the stable door. She

wanted answers. The old man sat himself down on an old

milking stool. "Four years ago, the King of Norlan summoned

me to fight the dragon of Waland. I had lost my family to the

beast and wanted my revenge. The army traveled thousands

of miles, deep into the mountains. Freezing days, even

colder nights. I would have gone mad had it not been for a

man I had met along the way. His name was Amos. We met

at the journey's start when I saw him looking at a sketch of a

young girl. Tears welled in his eyes. I went over to see what

was wrong. He told me about his only daughter whom he

had to leave alone with only a horse for company. No money

except for a leather sack of coins. We started talking about

our families and soon enough, we were like old brothers.

Through the hardest times, we helped each other as best we

could. We only had each other and our memories.

Soon, the army came to the dragon's cave. After four

years, we were finally there. The night before we fought the

dragon, Amos and I were sitting around a fire, unable to eat

because we were so nervous. Amos then said, "Oryan, I

need you to promise me something."

"Anything, Amos." I replied.If anything is to happen to

me in that cave, I need you to try to escape and get to my

daughter. Send her after us. If I know her right, she has the

power to save us and all of Harsan. Send her here on her

horse. Help will find and guide her here. After that, I need

you to go to the king and tell him what has happened. If

need be, have him send more men. But I am certain that my

daughter can handle things."

"But Amos! She is but a child!" I replied. "How can she

defeat a dragon if the king's army can't?"

"Trust me Oryan. That girl has more power than anyone

knows, even herself. Tell her this story. If I can't be the one

to reveal her true identity to her, I would like my closest

friend to be the one. And, tell her I love her." Touched by his

love for his daughter, his courage, hope, and trust in a man

like me, I agreed. He then told me about his daughter's

inherited gift. The gift to be one with the beasts. To talk,

walk, control, even be God's creatures. He explained an old

prophecy about a peasant girl's hidden power and how she

would save us all some day.

It wasn't for a week after that talk that we found the

dragon. The monster spotted us immediately and attacked.

Our fight back may have been little against him, but we

injured his leg so he had to limp. But the giant roared and

captured many of men, including Amos and I. I managed to

wriggle free of the brute's grasp without his noticing. Amos

wasn't so lucky. My leg was crippled but I managed to yell to

my friend, "What is your daughter's name?"

His reply was, "Katora."

Chapter 3: Questions answered, more secrets revealed.

Kat was so surprised at Amos's answer that she fell off

her stool. "He was talking about me! Amos is my father!

Papa! But it can't be me! I don't have any power!" Sweat

started running down Kat's face. "There is no other Katora

here." Oryan replied. He grinned. "As the prophecy says, you

are to save us all. Your father knew what he was talking

about. He also mentioned something about a necklace with

a carving on it." Kat touched the pearl on her neck. "It can't

be me!" She thought. "But I fit the prophecy perfectly!"

Questions swarmed Kat's brain like a swarm of bees.

The first one that came tumbling out wasn't the most

important one, but it was a start to finding answers and

getting rid of the swarm in her mind. "How did you turn from

a wolf to a man? And, as I asked earlier, were you going to

steal my horse?" Oryan chuckled. "Once again, my

apologies. I was not going to take your beloved Gem. I only

wanted to look at her. It's been so long since I've seen such

a beautiful creature. Her magic just pulled me towards her."

"Sorry, but did you say magic?"

"She is one of the most powerfully magical creatures in our

world." He looked at her. Kat looked at Gem. All this time,

she had such a powerful creature, and she covered her with

mud everyday! "But you didn't answer my first question. Are

you a shape shifter or something?"

"I never told anyone in fear of being mistaken for a

werewolf. You mustn't tell a soul. Now, it has grown late into

the night. We shall rest. I must train you a bit in the morning.

Might I stay with you?" Kat showed the man inside.

Chapter 4: The Unknown Ability

When Kat woke the next morning, she was mystified.

Had last night just been a bizarre dream? Had a strange

shape shifting man revealed to her that she was a

prophesied hero with extraordinary power? No, it couldn't be.

A bit disappointed and wondering what she ate last night,

Kat sauntered into the main room of her hut. But to her

pleasurable surprise, there was the strange shape shifting

man sleeping on a pile of hay in the corner. Just as she

walked in, Oryan awoke and smiled at her. There in front of

him was the girl he had heard so much about and had

traveled so far to see. "How about some breakfast?" He

asked.

"Do you have any food or money? Because if you don't, we

will have to either steal or gather anything we can find from

the fields."

"Don't worry, I have some food in my pack." And did he

ever! Kat had never had such a delightful breakfast. As

Oryan told stories of his travels, Kat ate fresh fruit and ham

she had cooked for them over the fire. It tasted even better

than her stolen dinners from the fat baker!

When they finished and cleaned up, Oryan took Kat

outside. Training was about to begin. "Amos explained to

me your powers that night by the dragon's cave. First, I think

you should learn to speak to your animal friends. Magical

creatures are easier because they are more intelligent than

mortal beings" Gem smirked at her, with a superior look on

her long skinny face. Kat laughed. "Hey Gem! According to

Oryan, I'm not a mortal, so ha!" Gem laughed. Kat had to do

a double take. Did she just hear her horse laugh? It wasn't

just a horsy snort, but a giggle! In fact, it was in a light

feminine voice! Oryan was quick to notice the girl's shocked

expression. "Did you hear her laugh?" he asked.

"Yeah, I did! Wait! How did you know she laughed?"

"Well, it seemed like a horsy snort would be their laugh and

that comment was something to laugh at! Now, I'm going to

go hunt for tonight's dinner. You try to communicate with

Gem. Concentrate and talk. If you listen, you may be able to

finally understand her tongue!" and with that he was off into

the woods.

Kat stared at what she thought was her horse. Oryan

didn't mention if she was just a magical horse or a creature

that looked like a horse, but was really a magical being.

"Um, hi Gem." No answer. "How are you doing?" Still no

answer. She kept trying to talk to Gem, but all the while the

creature just stared at her through her enormous brown

eyes. Kat couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't exactly the

most patient girl in Harsan. "Darn it Gem!" The girl shouted

in frustration. "If I am supposed to be some prophecy and

am supposed to talk to you, CAN YOU AT LEAST TRY TO

TALK BACK!"

"Well, I would talk back if you would talk about

something interesting! I was there for all the memories

you've talked about! Also, there is no need to shout." Kat

swung around.

"Ahh, you finally understood me, didn't you?" The horse

grinned the best way a horse could. Kat couldn't close her

mouth. Finally, she gathered her senses. "Sorry. Have I

always talked in such a boring fashion?" She managed a

grin. "It hasn't been that bad. You talk to a horse like other

mortal people talk to a horse. You think we can't understand

a word you are saying. Most horses can't, but I know all

you've been talking to me about. You've been able to talk to

me for years. And, you understood my body language, unlike

most."

For hours after, the two talked as though they had just

met. Kat found out that Gem was a Usanus, a unicorn who

had no horn. They were in the same family as the unicorn,

but they were actually more powerful.

Oryan returned around three 'o' clock. When he saw

the two chatting, he beamed. "Congratulations! You have

mastered animal speech!"

"That's all it takes?"

"Yes. Once you talk to one, you can talk to all.

Especially if it's a magical creature." Kat Grinned.


End file.
